


Never know the top till you get too low (I'm so sorry)

by EtherealMagic



Category: The Boys (TV 2019)
Genre: AU from episode 2 where Compound V is a drug that brings out superpowers in anyone who takes it, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Dark, Escape Attempts, Gang Rape, Kidnapping, M/M, Rape, and it messes up Butcher's mind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:40:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22213453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtherealMagic/pseuds/EtherealMagic
Summary: AU a/b/o where omegas are really rare and coveted, and Hughie happens to be one. Spoilers for the first two episodes : at the end of episode 2, Homelander saves Translucent before Hughie could press the button, and they kidnap him to make him their slave.The Boys try to find and save him but fail, until Butcher is offered a deal he can't refuse : take Compound V and join the Seven in exchange for exclusivity on Hughie, protection for the others and reparations for Becca, whose fate he still ignores.The only thing is that Compound V, here, is a drug that brings out superhuman abilities in everyone, even normal people who use it, and the side-effects mess with Butcher's mind until he's the one Hughie must escape from.The work and chapter titles are all taken from the song "I'm so sorry" by Imagine Dragons
Relationships: Billy Butcher/Hughie Campbell, Hughie Campbell/The Deep | Kevin, Hughie Campbell/The Homelander | John, Hughie Campbell/Translucent
Comments: 9
Kudos: 168





	1. Turn your head for one second and the tables turn

**Author's Note:**

> why am i like this
> 
> So yeah, I watched the first 3 episodes with a friend, devoured pretty much every fanfic on this site and went ahead and started my own dark mess. I hope you'll like it, but be warned that this deals with sensitive topics. Also, please tell me if I forgot to tag anything, I'll add more as I go but I don't want to risk missing something important that might trigger some people.
> 
> So... enjoy ?

"Attaboy."  
Translucent is walking past him and Hughie, disgusted with himself, stands frozen. He can hear a ringing in his ears, getting lost in his own head, and he feels like he's finally reached that tipping point he should have tumbled over ages ago. He is about to press the button and make the Supe explode all over the floor and walls like Robin did (and this thought makes him sick, not helped at all by that fucking poster with the kid, that looks more gruesome each time).  
Except he doesn't get to do it.

The building looks, feels and sounds like it's collapsing, except not really, because there's just a giant hole in the ceiling right behind Hughie, and he only has enough time to turn around and see an all too familiar suit before a voice he's only ever heard on TV and the radio asks,  
"Well, hello there, Translucent. You look swell."  
The tone is more biting and mocking than he remembers ever hearing it, but there is no doubt : Homelander is here. To rescue Translucent. Oh God, Hughie is dead.  
The patriotic hero turns around and assesses Hughie. The corner of his mouth quirks upwards, and he arches an eyebrow to his partner. Clearly, he doesn't see Hughie as a threat, and the latter can't really blame him. He didn't even have the guts to push a button, he thinks.  
"Really now Translucent, I knew you weren't exactly a nun, but I didn't think you... how do they say... 'swung that way', pal."  
"Very funny. If you could take the detonator from him and take me somewhere they can take the bomb they shoved in my crack out, that'd be swell." Translucent's reply is more a snarl than anything else, and the mocking tone of his last word seems to imply these two aren't so close.  
Perhaps Hughie can exploit this, somehow. Quick, he needs to find a way out of this. He can't run ; he won't make it even two meters away and it could trigger a more agressive reaction. Can he talk them out of killing him ? He doubts they'd be interested in keeping him alive, unless it's to torture him for information, and he'd really rather avoid that, but it's worth a shot. It's not like he has a lot of options anyway, so...

Homelander grabs him and takes the detonator from him. Translucent, now more confident (and more of a gloating, leery bastard, Hughie notes), gets close to Hughie, knowing he cant do anything about it without getting his bones broken.  
"You know," he starts, tracing Hughie's cheek with a finger, "I think we should keep him."  
"Oh ?"  
"Yeah. Out of the three fuckers who took me, he clearly isn't really involved. Poor thing stumbled on bad frequentations, looks like. He's been nice and polite enough. And," he licks his lips, eyes fixed on Hughie's as he prepares the final blow, "he's an omega."  
Hughie tenses. How does he know ? His suppressants are supposed to be Supe-proof. With the rising awareness of the existence of superhumans, and the advance in omegas' rights, it has been decreed that suppressants should be adapted to this new world, and block out omegas' scent to Supes too. It was decided after one too many instances of omegas being claimed by Supes without their consent because they knew they were omegas. Vaught saw the profit in making Supe-proof suppressants. So why the fuck did this dick know about Hughie's secondary gender ?  
Suddenly, Hughie thinks being killed might be preferrable to what the Supe is implying.

"Is that so ?" Hughie doesn't want to look at Homelander. His tone alone is entirely too interested, and his voice has dropped to a lower timbre. The young man tries to suppress a shiver of fear and sigust, unsuccessfully. Translucent chuckles and stalks closer.  
"Oh, is my sweet little omega cold ?" he cooes in mock-sympathetic tone. "I can warm you up real good. Or maybe," his voice drops to a more seductive tone, "you're just eager. Eager to be brought home and to sit on my knot. Is that it ? You wanna choke on Homelander while I breed you like a good little bitch ?"  
Hughie shakes his head lightly, the only movement he's capable of. He's frozen, in fear and in place by Homelander's hand still gripping him too tightly.  
Hughie hears Homelander's dark chuckle, right next to his ear, and barely manages not to flinch.  
"Still in denial, are you ? That'll change soon enough. Once you get a taste of a real Alpha cock, you won't have enough."  
"They never do," muses Homelander, and Hughie doesn't like the sound of that. At all. "But it might be fun to... break him in."  
"Oh absolutely," Translucent agrees, licking his lips. "The others are going to love you, doll. Now, don't worry about a thing, we'll take care of you."

Hughie is struggling fruitlessly against the superhuman grip when a sharp pain explodes in his neck. He goes limp and the Supe's chuckle is the last thing he hears before everything turns black.


	2. About time for anyone telling you off for all your deeds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Hughie's life with The Seven.  
> Warnings for : a bit of homophobia from A-Train and The Deep/Kevin ; instances of rape depicted and referenced (though I tried not to get too graphic) ; Homelander and Translucent being creepy bastards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I hope you're well !  
> Here's another chapter, I'll try to be consistent and update weekly, but Uni's starting again so apoligies if I upload late.  
> Please heed the warnings in this chapter and in the tags, and tell me if I need to add some, I'll gladly do so !  
> Also, I'm still figuring out the website for forgive me if something looks weird, I'll fix it as soon as possible !  
> Okay, well, that's all so take care of yourselves, and enjoy :)

Hughie doesn't really wake up right away. At first, he skirts the edge of consciousness, not feeling real or alive, but at peace. Then, he begins to feel like he was floating on a soft cloud, and with this feeling comes dizziness. Did he drink last night ? His head isn't pounding like it usually does when he is hungover, but his neck definitely stings. He can't remember anything. What time is it ? He must be late for work already. Why didn't his father wake him up ? Fuck, he is never going to hear the end of it... It is then that he realises he is naked. What happened last night ?

His eyes, still heavy with sleep, slowly flutter open, and he lets out a pained groan. As he moves to stretch out, he feels another body next to him. A very male, naked body. Oh. Right.  
"Mm... Butcher, what time is it ?"  
A chuckle.  
"My, my, I didn't think your standards were so low, sweet peach."  
This isn't Butcher's voice. Hughie is jolted awake in sudden panic. He springs up, flailing and trying to get as far away from the Supe as possible. He almost falls off the bed (why the fuck is he in a bed ? Oh god, no no no, he has to get out of there now), but is caught by the waist and dragged back close to Translucent.  
"That Cockney bitch ? Really ?" The latter continues, seemingly unperturbed by Hughie's mounting panick attack. "You can do so much better than that, omega. Well," another chuckle and god could this asshole go two seconds without fucking chuckling, please ? "Now, you have us, of course. So it doesn't get much better than that."  
Hughie is going to puke.

Translucent is starting to caress him, his tender touch that could almost be mistaken for that of a lover makes the young man's skin crawl with digust and fear. He knoww what happens to omegas. Despite the advance in their rights, their extreme rarity means that a slip of control is quickly shrugged off and excused, especially from alphas, who are "supposed" to be more violent and impulsive. Hughie does not want to know how much worse it would be with an alpha Supe.  
"You'll see, little omega. We'll be so good to you that you won't wanna leave."  
Hughie cringes and tries to get away from the wandering hands mapping out his skin, but all it does is make the Supe pull him closer and threaten to break a bone or two if he doesn't stay still.  
And they say romance is dead, thinks Hughie as the older man goes back to...

Oh fuck no.  
"L-Look, I'm sorry for... erm, trying to bomb you and all, but t-this isn't n-necessary," Hughie stammers, terrified.  
Translucent only looks up for a second to meet his eyes with a bored look, before going back to playing with his hole.  
"As cute and satisfying as it is to watch you wet yourself in fear, I'd rather get you another kind of wet. So shut up already."  
Hughie manages a weak nod, and tries not to let out too many sobs and whimpers. He hates that he is in this situation and that he can't get out of it, but most of all, he hates that, slowly but surely, his body is starting to respond to the prodding. It's definitely slower than omegas usually are, and there is less slick as well, both due to his suppressants still being active, though dampened by the more powerful pheromones of an alpha Supe. Still, it's humiliating, and Hughie can feel his cheeks burn at the other man's noises of approval as he watches his own work.  
"Please don't do this," whispers Hughie as tears burn his eyes.  
"Oh I won't," Translucent replies distractedly. Hughie exhales a sigh of relief as the Supe continues, "not without the others. They'd get pissy. And I'm sure you don't want three more pissy Superheroes on you, right ?" He caresses Hughie's cheek and the younger man can contain a flinch.  
Translucent just laughs and lightly slaps his cheek with a condescending smile.  
"Good boy. Now let's make you forget that British bitch."

***

Hughie grits his teeth. He won't show his pain, no matter how bad it hurst ; he knows he's bleeding, and feels the burn tenfold after Translucent, ever the considerate fucker, decided he didn't need prep or lube. Hughie is on his back (because, according to Translucent, it's "more romantic". So kind of him to want to make his rape look romantic, Hughie thinks acerbically), wrists tied tightly to the headboard, legs held over his shoulders in the Supe's bruising grip. Uncomfortable, but still better than the first day.

That had truly been horrible.

Translucent had been the first to go. He'd insisted, hence why he'd been waiting by his side for him to wake up. Oddly enough, that time, he had used lube. He'd even kissed Hughie, tried to hold him like a lover instead of a prisoner. Like this was normal, like he wasn't...  
Hughie swallows down a little bile at the memory. That had been the worst part : he'd liked it. Not the act itself, or the person, of course. But the Supe had done all the right things to trick his body into liking what was being done to it, regardless of what his brain thought. It was exactly why Hughie had taken suppressants since he'd presented, why he'd only dated or fucked other omegas and betas, like Robin and Butcher. His father had been torn, between being a more traditional omega and knowing first-hand the dangers of being out, but had conceded. He'd never had a heat after that first one, and he'd never had an alpha either. And he'd planned on things staying that way.

But then he'd had to go and get captured by the fucking Seven to be used as a sex slave. Yay.  
Which had been why, after so long, his body had been overwhelmed by the pheromones of an alpha, and a Supe no less. Hughie had felt sick, and Translucent had held him close, trying to soothe him and succeeding a bit, which made Hughie hate everything even more.

"Stop thinking," rasps Translucent, picking up his pace until Hughie, despite his best efforts to keep his mouth shut, lets a few moans break free. "You always think too much. You never stop. Appreciate this. Any of your kind would kill to be in your position right now."

"Well then, why don't you just go pick up one of them instead," Hughie grunts, decided not to let any of the Seven insult him without mouthing off (it has earned him quite a few bruises, mostly from A-Train, but fuck it, they're worth it. Besides, Translucent won't let any of the others hurt him too badly ; it's less for his protection than it is a territorial thing).

"Do you need assistance, Translucent ? It appears your little omega still doesn't quite understand his place," says a smooth voice.

Hughie freezes. Fuck. One day, he'll stop being mortified whenever Homelander pops out of fucking nowhere, but today is not that day. His instincts are already into overdrive with one alpha Supe, he doesn't need another messing up his muddled brain any further. He hopes that Translucent, who has tried to act like they're fucking mates or something since day one, is deluded enough to be territorial and tell Homelander to fuck off. That would be a small mercy, but it's all Hughie can hope for in this place.

Homelander is one of, if not the worst.

He hates being raped by A-Train the most, because of the additional emotional wounds and humiliation he feels every time. Thankfully, the homophobic "I'm not a faggot I swear" that makes A-Train be particularly punishing with him also makes him resort to him the least often. He always tries to justify it to himself, which Hughie would find both amusing and pathetic if it weren't his ass literally on the line. He always goes on a rant about how "it's the last time," about how "he's not gay, it's just because you're an omega," and all that bullshit. Hughie called him out on this in the beginning, and had gotten a black eye and a bruised rib in return, but nowadays he tries to make himself as forgettable as possible. He still talks back and insults each Supe, he just doesn't want a) to die, and b) for them to decide the omega needs a correction and to be raped even more often.

The fish dude is kind of like A-Train in his repressed homophobic self (i.e., he's the embodiment of a jock or frat boy stereotype), but he's starting to become increasingly comfortable. One of the reasons Hughie doesn't push the provocation too far on that front. He's trying to repulse them, not make them more comfortable with using him like a fucking toy.

Black Noir (Noir Black ? Something like that), Queen Maeve and Starlight have never even been in the same room as him, seemingly uninterested in molesting a person, omega or not, which Hughie is really thankful for, though he'd be even more thankful if they'd also help him escape. Not that he'd expected them to, but it would have been nice.

Translucent is annoying, but at least, on the days when Hughie gets too overcome by his damned omega instincts, he seems to be gentler. He, for some reason that Hughie doesn't understand and frankly doesn't want to, seems to think that this is normal. Like it's not rape, like they're actually dating. It's creepy as hell, and Hughie can't wait to get out of this hell.

And then, there's Homelander.

First off, the asshole is sexist. He has that '50s mentality according to which omegas should stay home and take care of the nest, the alpha and the pups, betas are tolerated but still a laughable inferior failed attempt at alphas, and alphas are the epitome of perfection that everyone must measure up to (yet those same "superior" alphas are slaves to their instincts, which makes it totally acceeptable for them to just assault an omega by blaming it on their smell. Fucking piece of shit).  
Secondly, the asshole is really that : an asshole. A manipulative asshole who loves to taunt, humiliate and degrade Hughie any way he can. He also has a pretty sadistic streak, as the younger man soon discovered, and he loves "punishing" for talking back, literally gets off on it. Any time spent with Homelander is torture, and Hughie has gotten more bruises and cuts in a single encounter with the guy than in the entire week he's been here with the others (Translucent told him how long he'd been there after a night when Hughie had been too tired to resist, and the Supe had been in that post-orgasmic haze that made him treat the omega like a boyfriend).  
In short, Hughie really, really does not want Homelander to come within a hundred feet of him, and he especially does not want to have to deal with him while being fucked by Translucent.

"You know, maybe," the other Supe replies, eyeing Hughie carefully. "He's been kind of a brat all day, according to A-Train and Kevin, and he seems distracted with me."  
Hughie refuses to feel chastised, refuses to let the fact that Translucent is disappointed in him sting, refuses to regret behaving the way he did, refuses to think that if he'd been good, he wouldn't get punished, refuses the instinctual response of his omega self that wants to whimper and bare his throat to appease the alpha, refuses the automatic trains of thought that tell him to soothe and submit. He refuses, like he refused to let Robin's death slide : it may be the easy solution, but it's not right, and it's not him. He's not going to cower in front of any alpha, even if they're Supes.

"Well, we can't have that, can we ? After all, you generously brought the omega to your home and provide for him, while letting him be used by other alpha superheroes. He should be thankful to you."  
"Yeah," Translucent sounds like he's in a transe (and Hughie knows there's a pun to make, but then the alpha grazes that spot inside him in a powerful thrust and the though flies out of his head). "It's like he doesn't think I'm his alpha, John."  
Homelander hums, approaching the bad and lightly clutching Translucent's shoulders. He turns to whisper in his ear, loud enough that Hughie can hear, maintaining eye contact with the omega.  
"Maybe he doesn't see you as his real alpha because of that beta."  
Translucent's eyes grow red and he growls at the mention of Butcher. Hughie shudders instinctively, both in fear of what Homelander's going to do and at the memory of the beta. Translucent notices and snarls, a silent warning.  
"Maybe if you killed his old master in front of him, he'd understand."

"No !"  
Hughie can't help himself. It's a stupid reaction, an incriminating one and he knows it, but he's too sensitive and raw and tired and his hormones are a mess, and the terror gripped him tight and choked him until he could force the word out. Now, seeing Translucent's red eyes glow, hearing his growl and feeling his punishing grip get tighter while he all but pounds him in the mattress, he knows he's played right into Homelander's hands. The Supe is grinning at him in victory and he wants to spit on his smug face.

***

Afterwards, when Translucent, still pissed, has stormed off, Hughie lays on the bed, leaking on the sheets and absolutely exhausted. Homelander has the nerve to laugh at him, hauling him to the bathroom, to the side of the room, to clean him up. It's humiliating, but Hughie is too tired too insult him and get dropped abruptly. Plus, at least that way, he gets to be clean. It doesn't make the feeling of filth inside him go away, but it definitely helps.  
Homelander wraps him in a towel and takes him back to the bedroom. He puts him in a comfortable chair while he changes the sheets, to Hughie's surprise. The younger man is soon suspicious, however. Is it part of that weird "old world alpha chivalry," or is he trying to lull Hughie into a false sense of security to better screw him over ? Not like he could take it, right now ; Homelander may not have physically joined in, but his whispered suggestions riled Translucent so much that he completely and utterly destroyed the omega. He hasn't felt this sore since the time they all decided to take him at once, and he got double-teamed by A-Train and Homelander.  
Hughie wants to retch at the memory.

He's tired. Tired of being used, tired of Homelander and his plans and his sly grin. So he asks,  
"What are you planning on doing with Butcher ?"

Homelander pauses for a second, then returns to finishing the bed. Once it's done perfectly, he turns around, picks Hughie up like a damsel and tucks him in. The young man humours him, if only to get an answer. He's started to learn the quirks and limits of each Supe who uses him, knows approximately when to push and how to act when he wants some lenience. He hates that he picked up on that because of his omega instincts, so he makes a point to use it very rarely, but it's useful.  
Translucent obviously likes to pretend they're a couple. Kevin and A-Train like when he plays a bit feminine, so they don't feel too gay, and submissive, so that he's so clearly an omega they feel justified in fucking him. Homelander, he likes taking care of people in a very weird, controlling way, kind of like a father figure or, more generally, an authority figure, Hughie supposes. It's weird.

So he lets the Supe tuck him in and treat him like a porcelain doll, keeping quiet but still watching him. Eventually, Homelander sees he isn't letting this go and sighs, looking for all the world like a chagrined parent who's too indulgent on their child instead of a fucking psychopathic rapist, and pulls a chair to the side of the bed.

"Butcher and I, as you may know, go a long way," he starts. "I want to see him suffer and die a long, painful death." His soft smile never wavers and he looks calm and composed, like he's telling a bedtime story rather than a threat. "But I want to give him a fair chance to fight me, before he goes down. A little attention if you will."  
"Why ?"  
"Because, despite everything, you have to give the guy credit. He's resistant, and daring. A bit too much, considering his status, but that's part of the fun. Taking people like you and Butcher, who think you're better than you were meant to be, and breaking them, making them suffer until they finally accept their place, is oh so satisfying."  
"So you're, what ? Waiting for him to come in, guns blazing, and to capture him ? He won't let that happen. Nevermind that he won't come for me, he's never going to let you do this to him. He'll go down or kill himself rather than break for you," Hughie spits out.

Homelander leans in, eyebrows raised, interested.  
"You really think so ? You really think he won't come save you ? The poor, sweet, innocent civilian he's already saved once from Translucent, and whom he's kept around even when you threatened to leave ? I know you know him in the biblical sense," he adds with a wink, "and I know he'll do anything to protect you. Including turning himself over to me."  
"Just because we've slept together doesn't mean we're together. We'd known each other for a few days before you guys took me. Why do you think he'll bother risking his life for someone he barely knows, much less cares about ?"  
The alpha's eyes crinkled in amusement, and his smile became sharper.  
"Because," he purred, "I know that, despite what you'd expect, Butcher doesn't sleep around more than once with anyone. He's paranoid and grieving ; if he wants a way to relive stress or whatever, he chooses someone he'll never see again. Unless he's using the person. Which category do you think you're in, Hughie ?"  
"I don't care, because, again, we. Aren't. Together."  
"Well, I certainly hope you'll keep that attitude when Butcher gets torn piece by piece before your eyes. I wonder if I should do it myself, or let Translucent have the honours ? He'll definitely love showing to his omega who he belongs to, and getting rid of that pesky beta. No matter. You'll soon realize that it was a disgrace, and that you're finally where you belong, little omega."

And with this, Homelander strolls out of the room, chuckling at Hughie's scream of rage and frustration, accompanied by a pillow thrown at the door when the alpha shuts and locks it with a final click.


End file.
